NPR Story on Demise of Major Studios

[Jungle Jazz]

I heard this story on the radio today and thought I'd pass it along:

Recording Studios Face Uncertain Future : NPR

[Sigma]

LOL

It's not just big New York studios that are feeling squeezed. Even in Philadelphia, where the rent is a lot cheaper, the past decade has been a struggle for many studios.

Engineer Brian McTear runs Miner Street Recordings. He's been working with indie rock bands in Philadelphia since the 1990s. And business was good — until the credit crunch of 2008.

"All of a sudden, we were stuck. I had nobody that could pay me anymore," says McTear. "And everyone wanted to pay me, everyone wanted to make these records. I just had to go this extra distance of helping them figure out where they would get money from."

Sometimes, that meant showing bands how to appeal directly to their fans online to raise money for the recording. Then, earlier this year, McTear launched the Weathervane Music Organization, a nonprofit that helps artists record one song in his studio for free, while Weathervane documents the project on video.

it's the engineer today stupid

the gear/cost disparity has been equalized to the 90th percentile and no one can live on just being a "tracking room" that always accounted for a small % of the budget

when i track i go to a 2200 sq foot 14 foot ceiling un HVAC'd "warehouse" room that has api , chandler, a design, altec..etc etc preamps and neuman, aea, beyer, akg, rca et al mikes..for rates we could never match even in 1968..


DARWIN..THE SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST

[JoaT]

McTear launched the Weathervane Music Organization, a nonprofit that helps artists record one song in his studio for free, while Weathervane documents the project on video.

Now there's an interesting take on "non profit"... Is this sort of thing common in US?

[Sigma]

Originally Posted by JoaT

Now there's an interesting take on "non profit"... Is this sort of thing common in US?

he's probably a nice guy..don't know him by name but i'm sure we met..philly is a small music town as are NYC , LA and Nash when ya really look at it [we ain't General Mills ..{breakfast cereal has always outsold music} by golly LOL]

it is cool and interesting concept ..but not a solution to an issue

Bottom Line..offer what people perceive they can't get anywhere else..and what they ultimately want is a recording that mirrors the vision in their head

[JoaT]

I'm positive he is a nice guy, and really worried about the future of his trade as many of us are.

The reason I asked is that I think this kind of "non-profit" model would not pass here. Obviously it's set up with the goal of generating revenue for his business. And he openly admits that.

I think that kind of model is stretching the "non-profit" concept.

[Kris]

His productions are pretty amazing too: Weathervane Music

[Levi]

I read the article earlier today... I feel for the big facilities, and love working in them, but man, YOU'VE GOTTA ADAPT!!!! I went through the "pitty party" years ago, then the anger phase of kids stealing music, and then realized I'd better change my mindset and business models. I've had the best year ever.

They need to think waaaayyyyy outside the box... they can survive. And I hope and pray that they will!!! We need big rooms, just as we need home studios.

[Musiclab]

Brian is a really nice guy, he 's also a Gearslut, I've talked to him several times and bought a really nice MTA 16 channel eq from him and later on he hooked me up with a deal that was wayyyyy too good to pass up on a Crane Song Trakker. Great deals aside, I had really nice conversations with him, BTW I believe Brian is the guy who wound up with the old Sigma MCI

[jomo1234]

Let me just say that Brian is one of the nicest people on this planet. He is an exceptional producer/engineer with a true love for both music and the arts community. There is no hidden agenda here....just a great guy trying to make a positive impact in the recording and music communities. Weathervane is a wonderful organization and has done some amazing work, that otherwise, would have gone unrecorded. I am very honored to be involved with Weathervane. I encourage everyone to, at the very least, check out the website and listen/view to some of the projects.

[Clueless]

My $0.02, in a blog posting about this very story.

Net net: good on Weathervane!

[Blewgrass]

Good article,

I see the same thing happening here in the SF Bay Area. Those who want to stay alive are adapting or shutting down. I see more "specials" from the pro studios, and TONS of the semi pro project studios out there.... It will be interesting to see what happens over the next year. Those who are independently wealthy will sit on their million dollar studios without any income... the others.... time will tell.

Most of them lurk and post here, so there's no better place to follow the action...

[bdmctear]

Originally Posted by JoaT

I'm positive he is a nice guy, and really worried about the future of his trade as many of us are.

The reason I asked is that I think this kind of "non-profit" model would not pass here. Obviously it's set up with the goal of generating revenue for his business. And he openly admits that.

I think that kind of model is stretching the "non-profit" concept.

Wow. Look what I missed! Jeez, guys. I've been trying to get the Gearslutz crowd to talk about this topic for a long while now. I guess I should've done an NPR interview sooner!

So some clarification is certainly necessary:
I actually am a really nice guy. I've often worried that my success as a producer and engineer was based more on that than the quality of my work. Nonetheless, I've done my best to be my best.

Weathervane Music is a non-profit organization. THat organization exists to build a community of music fans, musicians, supporters of the arts, etc., to actively support and advance what it feels is a program of great independent music and music related video productions.

That's it. It has nothing to do with my studio, Miner Street Recordings, except that MST is the only studio I've been able to convince to let us do the work for FREE. Someday we hope Weathervane will have its own facilities, but that's a long long way off, if we are so fortunate. We toyed with the idea of having affiliate studios and not working out of Miner Street at all, simply to keep the two organizations clearly separate, but when we realized the extent that this would require ME flying around the country to make sure that the money we are sending to X recording studio for Y recording project ACTUALLY RESULTS in a FINISHED PRODUCT, it was obvious that we should just work out of a studio that we could rely on, that I wouldn't need to fly to, and that had a place for artists to stay at from wherever they'd come. Until we can afford a facility, we need to start somewhere.

[bdmctear]

Originally Posted by Sigma

he's probably a nice guy..don't know him by name but i'm sure we met..philly is a small music town as are NYC , LA and Nash when ya really look at it [we ain't General Mills ..{breakfast cereal has always outsold music} by golly LOL]

it is cool and interesting concept ..but not a solution to an issue

Bottom Line..offer what people perceive they can't get anywhere else..and what they ultimately want is a recording that mirrors the vision in their head

Mike, We have met, though only here on Gearslutz. We talked about my MCI that was once YOUR MCI from Sigma NY. It's here. You should come say hi. It would probably love to see you.

[bdmctear]

Originally Posted by JoaT

I'm positive he is a nice guy, and really worried about the future of his trade as many of us are.

The reason I asked is that I think this kind of "non-profit" model would not pass here. Obviously it's set up with the goal of generating revenue for his business. And he openly admits that.

I think that kind of model is stretching the "non-profit" concept.

Again, this is a non-profit that does work out of a separate corporate studio. That studio and the non-profit have one thing in common: I started them both, but like all non-profits, the financials are public record. You can look an see.

Also, again, the non-profit exists to support and advance the work of great independent artists, and to educate the public about the need to actively support the people who make the music we love. That includes the musicians, all involved artists and YES people, the producers and engineers that make this happen. So Weathervane will be equal parts production company and advocacy.

If Miner Street Recordings, the recording studio where it happens, benefits in any way, it is that really really beautiful video happens there which may be a good thing, we don't know. So far, business is still not what it was a year and a half ago. Regardless, the difference between the two organizations is clear-cut and transparent, and holds up to the standards set by the IRS.

The vast majority of the money from the recorded music, by the way... if there is to be any, goes to the artists.

[bdmctear]

Originally Posted by Musiclab

Brian is a really nice guy, he 's also a Gearslut, I've talked to him several times and bought a really nice MTA 16 channel eq from him and later on he hooked me up with a deal that was wayyyyy too good to pass up on a Crane Song Trakker. Great deals aside, I had really nice conversations with him, BTW I believe Brian is the guy who wound up with the old Sigma MCI

Hi Lou! Thanks for stickin' up for me! I curse the day I parted with that MTA EQ! Hope all's well!